Edgar Seeberger
Managing Director of Assystem in Kazakhstan
As Managing Director of Assystem in Kazakhstan, Edgar leads the group’s local development and operations, supporting national players in strategic energy and infrastructure projects. His role extends across Central Asia, where he contributes to the deployment of nuclear and low-carbon programmes in close collaboration with governments, operators and investors.
A graduate of University College London (UCL) and the Higher School of Economics (HSE), Edgar started his career as a French diplomat in Moscow, specialising in nuclear affairs, before joining Assystem to strengthen its international activities.
Passionate about energy sovereignty and the role of engineering in the energy transition, he brings his international and intercultural experience to ensure the success of complex, high-impact projects.
The energy transition, driven both by the climate emergency and by growing sovereignty challenges, relies on the large-scale electrification of uses. This evolution implies a diversified energy mix (nuclear and renewables in particular), but also a profound transformation of consumption behaviours: demand-side management, electromobility, new industrial and climate-related uses. In this context, grids are becoming a strategic asset. They are no longer simple transmission infrastructures, but complex systems whose reliability determines the economic, social and industrial stability of territories.
To support operators and public authorities dealing with these structural transformations, Assystem deploys its expertise on two inseparable challenges: on the one hand, the analysis, design and construction supervision of new infrastructures, in particular interconnections between regions as well as connection of low-carbon production resources to the grid; on the other hand, the ability of modelling and digitalising these grids to optimise their construction and operation.
Connecting new low-carbon generation facilities: the need to adapt infrastructure for the energy transition
Convinced that grid engineering is a major challenge to support governments and operators that are integrating low-carbon energy into their energy mix, Assystem's teams have been mobilising their experts for several years to modernise, renew and operate electrical transmission and distribution infrastructure around the world.
‘Modifying a grid is never a neutral act: each new production unit can weaken its balance if it is not properly anticipated. Our approach consists precisely in securing this transformation, from impact assessment, in first place, to effective commissioning of complex installations. Whether it is a nuclear power plant, a large offshore wind farm or a solar plant. It is this end-to-end control that guarantees the stability and reliability of the grid.’ explains Edgar Seeberger, Managing Director of Assystem in Kazakhstan.
Before any new connection of a power generation source to the grid, the primary challenge is to rigorously analyse its impact on existing electrical infrastructures (often called Grid Impact Assessment – GIA): capacity, stability, resilience, routing constraints, compatibility with technical and regulatory standards. This is what Assystem is doing in Kazakhstan, for example, where we are working with the national TSO (Transmission System Operator), KEGOC, to carry out the GIA as part of the development of the country’s nuclear programme.
Once these impact assessments have been finalised and delivered to the operators, it is essential to produce the studies, design, review and supervision of the construction of these new grid connections: preparation and review of the technical specifications, qualification, quality inspections, testing and commissioning, analysis and validation of the operating and maintenance conditions of the grid infrastructures.
At the same time, verifying and/or ensuring compliance of connections with local standards is also a key skill of our grid experts, who are able to review and update national electrical norms in line with best practices, conventions and international standards.
Regarding infrastructure, in particular substations and HVDC/HVAC conversion stations, Assystem's teams operate as Owner Engineer and thus take the lead on design supervision (across all disciplines), from the construction and the commissioning of these facilities, as well as supporting project owners in setting up and monitoring the contractual framework for the implementation of these projects.
‘The energy transition will not be achieved through announcements, but through the ability of electrical infrastructures to perform over time. Faced with ageing grids, the explosion of uses and the massive integration of intermittent sources, engineering is not a simple technical support: it is where the decisive trade-offs between immediate performance, resilience and long-term adaptability over several decades are made. This is where the credibility of the energy transition is built.’ adds Edgar Seeberger.
Construction and operation of electricity transmission and distribution infrastructures: anticipating and optimising grid performance through digital twin
The digital transformation of grids is no longer an option. It is a key lever for improving the performance, maintenance and operation of electrical infrastructures.
‘Digitalisation enables a shift from static grid management to a dynamic approach, based on data, simulation and risk anticipation.’ assures Edgar Seeberger.
The creation of digital twins relies on the collection and structuring of data from multiple sources. These models enable the visualisation of infrastructure, the simulation of different possible change scenarios, and support investment decisions across the entire grid life cycle.
This approach is particularly relevant in contexts where grids were designed for highly centralised energy systems, as it is the case in several Central Asian countries where Assystem operates. The gradual integration of renewables, combined with strong demand growth, requires rapid and controlled modernisation of existing infrastructures.
In Uzbekistan, for example, Assystem is supporting the national TSO, NEGU, in the digital modelling of the grid in order to simulate the impact of new installations and prioritise the investments required for its evolution (find out more about this project by clicking here).
‘This approach enables the grid operator to make informed decisions on infrastructure development. The study also provides the foundations for prioritising and sequencing investments in grid integration.’ specifies Edgar Seeberger.
However, the digitalisation of grids is not only used to modernise existing infrastructures; it is also a key asset for modelling future installations dedicated to the electrification of new territories. This is, for example, the approach deployed by Assystem in Saudi Arabia, as part of the NEOM giga-project, where the use of digital tools from the design phases enabled the integration of predictive maintenance capabilities and optimisation of future electrical network operations.
Connecting offshore infrastructures (HVDC – High Voltage Direct Current) to national grids (HVAC – High Voltage Alternating Current): support for the design and construction of electrical conversion stations
To support Transmission and Distribution Operators in addressing the impacts of the energy transition on electrical networks, it is also becoming essential to have expert capabilities in high voltage alternating current (HVAC) and offshore infrastructures (HVDC). This expertise contributes to the design and construction of suitable converter stations (or OSS: offshore substations).
In response to these challenges, Assystem is, for example, supporting the CIDAC joint venture (RTE / EirGrid) in the creation of a direct current electrical interconnection enabling the direct exchange of electricity between France and Ireland. This particularly complex and large-scale project requires ensuring the management of requirements, design control and the supervision of the conversion station construction project. Drawing on its expertise in digital tools, Assystem is deploying tailor-made digital solutions to automatically extract, classify and rationalise project data, thereby ensuring better control of project deadlines, risks and costs (to find out more about this project, click here).
Conclusion
Grids are now a key factor of sovereignty, resilience and competitiveness. Their transformation requires a long-term vision, rigorous engineering and intelligent data exploitation.
‘Investing in grids means investing in the ability of governments and operators to successfully achieve their energy transition in a credible, secure and sustainable manner.’ concludes Edgar Seeberger.